Two Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented at the 2017 Disability Sport Fife (DSF) Awards Evening supported by the Fife Sports and Leisure Trust on Monday 8th May. Jim Thomson, Past Chairman of Scottish Disability Sport (SDS), supported by Ailien Pallot of Scottish Disability Sport, handed over the mementoes to two deserving recipients.
Maria Spencer from Dunfermline started playing bowls in 1995 and in 2017 she is one of the most highly respected visually impaired bowlers in the world. Maria’s major breakthrough came in 2011 when she was selected for Team Scotland for the IBD World Championships. Unable to gain a place in the team as a B3 bowler she competed in the B4 section and won the world singles title. Four years later she competed in the B3 class at the IBD World Championships in New Zealand and won her second world title and also a medal in pairs. Sarah Jane Ewing also from Dunfermline was her Director. Recognised as a determined competitor on the big occasion Maria recently won the Scottish Indoor title for visually impaired bowlers at Falkirk and is off to Australia in June with Team Scotland for the Test Match at Broadbeach on the Gold Coast.
In the 70s Andrew Brennan was brought to the attention of DSF by his PE teacher Bob Gauld. Andrew was a member of Cardenden Swimming Club and in the 40 year history of Disability Sport Fife he was the first Fife physically disabled swimmer to excel on the international stage. Andrew led the Scottish swim team to a succession of outstanding performances at the British Junior Championships at Stoke Mandeville and in 1981 he was the star male swimmer of an amazing Scottish Junior Team at the Children’s International Games in Darlington. Andrew was selected for Team GB for the Paralympic Games in New York and during the summer months he threw a mean discus. Fife produced outstanding Para swimmers during the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s but Andrew Brennan was the first to make an impact and one of three great Fife amputee swimmers who excelled on the national and international stage. (the others being Iain Matthew and Lara Ferguson).
Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife